To School or Not to School
Parents all over the country are losing their minds about the upcoming school year. I am one of those parents! It's like we are caught between a rock and a hard place. If we do send our children to school and they contract COVID-19 and God-forbid they get very sick, we would find it hard to forgive ourselves. If we don't send our children to school and pursue virtual learning, but they fall behind, we would be upset. It's in these times of uncertainty that we feel lost and clueless as to what is the right thing to do for our children. Honestly, there is no right or wrong answer in this situation.
"No evil shall befall you, Nor shall any plague come near your dwelling"
Think about the first time you held your sweet baby in your arms. Remember the excitement, the love, and in some cases the fear of having to be responsible for another living soul. It's the scariest yet most rewarding experience one could have. Most parents want to love and protect that baby from the world and everything that can bring harm or pain to the life they are holding, the life they created. Then, a deadly virus like COVID-19 comes along and rocks your world. Uncertainty and fear are everywhere. This virus has jumped from nation to nation and thousands of lives have succumbed to the disease. This virus doesn't care how old you are, or how much money you make, or what color your skin is. It has come to steal your peace, to kill off loved ones, and to destroy lives. That is what we are dealing with today. That is the very thing we want to protect our children from.
I am a healthcare professional (an essential worker) and so is their father. Other parents are teachers, lawyers, cashiers, waiters, waitresses, and even college students. Many of us have young school-age children that are not old enough to stay home alone. Or, if they can stay home alone, we cannot guarantee that they will do the schoolwork they are supposed to do. The very thought of this makes me want to crawl under a rock. When I think about the school year, I feel anxiety and worry rush over me. But, then I begin to think about those promises that The Lord has made. He promised to never leave or forsake me. He promised to be a shield and a fortress for me and my family. That is what I have to trust and believe.
We have so much to consider with the upcoming school year. We not only have to think about whether or not our children will get a quality education this year, but we must also consider their social well-being. We must consider their health. We must consider our work schedules (as if we didn't have to worry about it enough). Above all else, we must consider the risk of exposure of our children to COVID-19.
Psalm 91:9-10 says Because you have made the LORD who is my refuge, Even the Most High, your dwelling place, No evil shall befall you, Nor shall any plague come near your dwelling (NKJV). Those words are encouraging to me, and I hope they are encouraging to you. If you are in a position where you must send your child to school, consider reciting these verses over and over again until you have them embedded in your memory and heart. At this point, all we can do is give our children the necessary things they need to be safe at school. Let's use wisdom and supply them with a face mask, even if it is not mandated. Let's send them to school with their own supply of hand sanitizer. Let's talk to them about their safety and why it is important for them to try their best to protect themselves. We don't want them living in fear, but we do want them to walk in wisdom. If you are a believer, don't be hesitant to pray over your children every single day. God does see us and listen to our prayers. I have faith that He won't delay in coming to our rescue.
"God is so big and so great that He is a beautiful mystery"
I know that by the time many of you read this message, you'll say, "Why did God allow this to happen in the first place. If He is God, why doesn't He stop bad things from happening?" All I can say to that is, who knows what is on the mind of God? Who can stop Him from doing what He wants to do? Who can force Him to heal the land? Nobody can. We don't have all of the answers. God is so big and so great that He is a beautiful mystery. I encourage you to trust what He is doing. Trust the process. Know that He is ALWAYS there, no matter what. Even if He doesn't do what we think He should, our hope is in Him alone. So hold on and don't let go!
Robin Terry is the author of the bestseller, Resilient: My Story, God's Glory, available everywhere books are sold. She is also the creator of L.I.F.E with Robin Terry Podcast, available for your listening pleasure on Apple Podcasts or wherever you enjoy your favorite podcast shows. Please share this blog on Facebook, Twitter, and LinkedIn. Remember, you're not sharing me, you are sharing the message!